Karmen and the World

The Kids are Fighting in Bush's House!

Thu, 06 Apr 2006 16:21:04 +0200

Looks like Rummy and Rice have a problem. I almost fell out of my chair when I heard Condoleeza Rice say that "I know we've made tactical errors, thousands of them I'm sure, but when you look back in history, what will be judged is, did you make the right strategic decisions." I disagree with her view on the strategic decisions but to have her actually make this comment should make it obvious that the kids are fighting in Bush's 'family'. Donald Rumsfeld's tactic is to make her look dumb: "I don't know what she was talking about, to be perfectly honest." Does his being 'perfectly honest' give his statements more credence than hers? He goes on, explaining why she doesn't know what she's talking about: "If someone says, well, that's a tactical mistake, then I guess it's a lack of understanding, at least my understanding, of what warfare is about." Rumsfeld continues, "Why? Because the enemy's got a brain; the enemy watches what you do and then adjusts to that, so you have to constantly adjust and change your tactics, your techniques and your procedures." Well Donny boy, you've finally said something I agree with. When someone [you] jumps into a situation which you, in your arrogance know nothing about [Iraq] even though you think you do, and not only lack insight into the possibilities surrounding the situation but refuse to accept that there even are possibilities beyond the scenario you have painted, you are at the mercy of the reactionaries. All they have to do is sit back and see what you are doing and then pop in a surprise. Of course the enemy will adjust! You, however, have simply perpetuated the concreteness of your original war plan, too few troops, too little security, lack of control, poor management, and the Iraqis, who were at the mercy of both sides, are now just trying to stay alive (see Drudge Retort). Don't worry though, I'm sure you were right in April of 2003 when you said, "It's untidy, and freedom's untidy. Free people are free to make mistakes and commit crimes and do bad things. They're also free to live their lives and do wonderful things." For those who need a reminder of how things were going at that time see The Guardian.

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All the king's soldiers and all the king's men....

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 14:02:04 +0200

The good news. I guess we'll have to see how far the rest of the dominoes fall.

The bad news: Because the GOP was going to spend MILLIONS and MILLIONS of dollars getting Delay reelected now that he's going to resign frees up that money to go to other tight races.

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"Chiselling Little Crook"

Fri, 31 Mar 2006 14:46:38 +0200

Mayor Ken Livingstone (London) said "It would actually be quite nice if the American ambassador in Britain could pay the charge that everybody else is paying and not actually try and skive out of it like some chiselling little crook." Livingstone was referring to the London Congestion Charge on all vehicles entering the city. Perhaps it was a tactless way to put it but can someone tell me why diplomats are allowed immunity from such things as this? I'm not referring only to this specific London charge but to almost anything and anywhere-- London, New York, anywhere? Just because you are a diplomat you don't have to abide by the laws and regulations that keep the rest of us under control and avoid total societal meltdown? If the laws allow this, the laws need to be changed! I wish we had chaps like Livingstone in the U.S. who could say what they really think without having to run it by a political advisor to see how it will play in next week's polls.

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Stop Genocide in Darfur? “No, No, We Won’t Go”

Fri, 31 Mar 2006 14:33:38 +0200

Utah Congressmen Cannon and Bishop, both Republicans, voted against increasing aid to the African Union's peacekeeping force. To see the House roll call vote (in case you are not from Utah) click here. The purpose of the peacekeeping force is to protect and assist those who have been the victims of more horrendous atrocities than we here in our little self-righteous bubble can imagine. The vote by our representatives is something all Utahns should be ashamed of, yes, including those who profess a belief in The Book of Mormon (see Jacob 2:19). American Progress Action Fund has more.

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Utah and Democrats

Wed, 15 Mar 2006 16:33:19 +0100

Could it be true? Can you really be a good Mormon and be a registered Democrat? It appears that the leaders of the LDS Church think so. In a statement to be read over the pulpit to all U.S. LDS congregations the policy of the Church regarding political party affiliation is more clearly stated than before. Utah Republican reaction is as expected but hopefully people will actually listen to the statement and realize that they are NOT saying what has, in the past, been the understanding, that yes, that's what they must say but we all know what they really mean....

Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities
– Voltaire

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Dictatorship??

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 20:46:15 +0100

Newly retired Sandra Day O'Connor voiced what many of us have been thinking recently -- the actions of the Bush administration and our weak-kneed buddies in Congress are moving in the direction of yes, she actually said this word, "dictatorship." Referring to the rhetorical attacks on an independent judiciary by such ethically-challenged congressmen as Tom DeLay and John Cornyn, she laid it out but was anyone listening? Not in any major media outlets. Slate's Jack Shafer refers to the bloggers as"setting themselves on fire" over thie speech but notes the absence of any coverage by the mainstream media. Nina Tottenberg covered the speech for NPR and that's all we get.

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Fascism today

Fri, 10 Mar 2006 20:55:20 +0100

I would refer anyone who happens on this to scroll way down to the entry from 1watt1 in WAPO's "White House Briefing" column by Dan Froomkin.

Naturally, the common people don’t want war, but after all it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag people along...
Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. This is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and for exposing the country to danger. It works the same in every country.
–Reich-Marshall Hermann Goering at the Nuremberg Trials

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Family and love

Fri, 10 Mar 2006 18:58:33 +0100

The birth of the twins to Michael and Heidi is the most beautiful thing to happen in our family in a long time. Although they were born December 29th I have had an extremely difficult time putting anything here about it because I can't describe in words the beauty and wonder of it all. This is indeed what life and love is all about.

Now two months old, Marcus and Ian are sleeping much longer at night, are active and interactive, and are the joys of our lives! It is wonderful to me to have them living with us right now. Yes, the time will come when they move out, but for now they are here and I am thrilled.

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God does answer prayers!

Thu, 09 Mar 2006 20:00:50 +0100

Not that I had any doubt, but once again, a higher power has come through for us. Check it out: http://www.nhl.com/news/2006/03/263098.html Maybe even Pierre Lacroix couldn't stand allowing 11 goals in 3 games! Now if we could just get the commentators to get off the "Aebischer is so great, see how he's turned his game around" bit and acknowledge that he very little to do with the Swiss Olympic successes -- they were lucky to have a real goalie (Martin Gerber) to play for them. Too bad Pierre wasn't able to con the Hurricanes into trading one Swiss for another!

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Off again

Wed, 14 Sep 2005 08:42:39 +0200

Have I mentioned that I love this country? Well, actually I'm in a different country right now and love it, too! We are in Scotland, leaving today. My first experience in a hostel has turned out to be very nice. We couldn't afford anything else so found one that is outside the city but runs a shuttle in every hour so it has worked out just fine.

Edinburgh is a fascinating city-- taller, darker and more mysterious than any of the cities we saw in England. The history goes as far back but the buildings aren't quite as old. The oldest structure we've seen only dates to the 1100's!

There is no way to upload pictures here so I'll stick them in later. We are off to Shrewsbury today and Wales tomorrow. There is just not enough time to see it all, gotta come back!!!

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SO MUCH!!!

Sun, 11 Sep 2005 22:23:10 +0200

Okay, so much for updating the blog regularly. I have yet to figure out how to put into words everything we are seeing and experiencing here.

First off, having a smasher headache from jetlag and all the preparation stress didn't get me off to a very strong start but once I got going it all went well.

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Micronesia-Guam??!!!!

Fri, 26 Aug 2005 04:42:53 +0200

Tiff has her mission call! She has been called to serve in the Micronesia-Guam mission! Holy Cow (or is it holy boonie dog or holy brown tree snake????)! Who'da thought??!

She goes into the MTC (Missionary Training Center for those unfamiliar with Mormon acronyms) on November 23, 2005. Yes, that is the day before Thanksgiving. Three weeks of learning to love even the cheesiest of people and dodging the juice and she'll be off to a mission that covers an area the size of the United States but has actual surface you can walk on the size of Rhode Island (just ground up and scattered around the western equatorial Pacific Ocean). More lovely information can be found on several sites (e.g. http://www.heptune.com/guam.html , http://www.heptune.com/Guamcrit.html , http://www.visit-fsm.org/ , http://www.rmiembassyus.org/ , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Mariana_Islands .

There is a ton of info here but a quick scan tells you that she'd best review her Bali Hai. Guam it seems is a snake haven -- highest number of snakes per sq. km. in the world. The rest of the islands in the mission, or at least most of them, are snake-free (whew!). Tiff, I think, is actually more concerned about the boonie dogs than the snakes! Boonie dogs, from the descriptions on the websites, are mutants, butt-ugly and downright weird!

Overall, she's very excited. After all, you can go to Wales any old day but why else would you ever go to Guam? This is going to be an incredibly exciting adventure!

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My Eden

Fri, 29 Jul 2005 22:48:18 +0200

Porpoises, that’s what the waves look like as they leap toward the rocks and shore. The spray arches back over each breaking wave like a mother hovering over her child on the first day of school. Clinging for that last touch and then fading back and settling into the rolling sea.

How many times can you look at the same scene yet see something completely different? How many times can you photograph the same beach, the same island, the same forest and still feel that you’ve never seen it just this way before? That it has never before been this beautiful. What kind of place is it that can connect with your soul, reaching and touching your innermost self with a familiarity that says, yes, this is home, this is my place of most belonging?

As I look from the front window of the rustic cabin where my family stays in La Push, Washington, on the Olympic Peninsula, I see the same scene I have seen many times before: the beach, James Island – Akalat in the local Quileute language– as well as the other cabins clustered in this quaint little resort. It is after 9:00 a.m. but sunlight has yet to fully break through the dawn into morning as if it regrets having to wake us. These mornings of gentle low light, though familiar to people of the northern regions are unfamiliar to me as I come from Utah, a western mountain desert region where the sun usually bursts into the day before we are ready to join it.

This is a quiet place, a place of stillness. Walking the trail to the beach, the only sound I hear above the muffled waves is my clumsy stumbling among the pebbles. The rhythmic beating of waves grows louder and more distinct as I draw nearer and, cresting the rise of accumulated driftwood, sand, rock and grass, the length of the beach crescent stretches before me. This morning the waves are as gentle as the dawn itself. Other visits to this same scene have been of crashing, foaming wildness that awes as it reminds me of my smallness. For this moment I am alone on the beach, not even a gull or sea bird accompanies me. Looking down the beach toward the jutting headland I see the waves breaking against the rocks sending showers into the air. Now they stand defiant and challenging against the water’s strength but how long, I wonder, will it take the small cluster of sea stacks, those spire-like remnants of the receding headland, to finally dissolve under the never-ending waves?

At the headland a forest trail wanders out to another isolated beach. The heaviness of the moist air muffles sound. One must stop and listen carefully to hear the sounds of life in this forest as even the birds seem to respect the silence. Moisture accumulates on the needles and leaves from the humidity, mist or gentle rain and, ever bowing to gravity, droplets make their downward journey from one level of the forest to another, eventually soaking into the soft, sweet-smelling earth. This soil, as other rainforest soils, has a thick, rich layer of woody material and leaves to catch and hold the moisture while it breaks down into the nutrients upon which the vegetation greedily feeds. Root systems are shallow here, however, as the richness doesn’t extend past about a hand’s depth. Trees, therefore, fall frequently and, in their falling, sacrifice themselves to nurse new seedlings of hemlock, spruce, Douglas-fir and cedar. What a marvelous system of never ending life.

Walking this trail and other coastal trails in the Olympic National Park is emotional, spiritual and physical therapy for me. I receive a renewal of spirit-- a regeneration of sorts-- for my soul here in the mist of the forest and the spray of the sea. The sifting of the sand and pebbles mirrors life experiences that sort and change me from one day to the next, never to be the same as before.

But enough of my self-reflection. Come to this glorious place– feel the forest and the sea. Fill your senses with the beauty of the natural systems at work and decide for yourself if the wave spray looks like porpoises, sea sprites or clinging mothers. Sit on the beach logs and watch the ocean. Share a walk with family, friend or self. If you plan on walking on the beaches, be sure to check the tides as high tide may narrow and shorten your beach walks. Low tide, however, extends an invitation to miles-long lengths of sand or pebble beach broken by small streams running from the forest to the sea and interrupted by rocky formations, remnants of headlands and stacks that lost their battle to the beating waves. Explore the rocks. Hidden in sand-worn pockets and pools are living treasures. Bright-colored starfish cling to the undersides of the rocks. Mollusks come alive as a wave washes over and the creature spreads its fanlike appendage to net passing nutrients. Hermit crabs do their scoot-stop dance through the pools, eyes ever watching and claws ready to snap!

There is something in this wonderland of life for nearly everyone. Simply driving along highway 101 to get to the western Olympic coast is a treat. The road carves a deep gap in the magnificent northwest forest as it climbs over hills and drops into valleys. The walls of trees break occasionally and you catch a glimpse of either ocean framed by cliffs and punctuated by stacks or mountains, often with either frosting-like snow caps or clouds like softly whipped cream snuggling gently ‘round. Whichever view one catches is breathtaking indeed.

From Port Angeles on the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Cape Flattery, the northwestern tip of the peninsula and south to Long Beach, the options available for an overnight stay range from resort lodge to bed and breakfast or even simple cabins. Towns with intriguing names such as Humptulips, Forks, or Hoquiam offer a variety of eating alternatives. Local seafood delights are on the menu if you prefer leisurely restaurant dining, burgers and fries are available at the local fast food establishments, or you can select and prepare your own beach picnic at a grocery store. Enjoy the variety of activities available: hike to mountain vistas at Hurricane Ridge and Storm King, follow forest trails to hidden waterfall wonders at Sol Duc and Marymere, reflect in mirror-like lakes such as Crescent, Quinalt, and Ozette, explore beaches from Shi Shi to South Beach, soak in hot springs at Sol Duc, wander rainforest trails along the Hoh, Elwha and Quinalt rivers, visit tribal centers and museums to see exhibits and hear lore and history on the Makah, Quileute, Hoh and Quinalt Indian Reservations.

One trip may not be enough. Perhaps you will decide that you must return again to this mix of ancient and present to wander the ageless forests and endless beaches. Whether or not you return, the images, sounds and smells will have forever seeped into the memories from which you can draw whenever you have need of solitude, reflection and peace.

...the place you have left forever is always there for you to see whenever you shut your eyes.
Jan Myrdal

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